Best early early varieties for 2020

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Blackbear
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Best early early varieties for 2020

#1

Post: # 18006Unread post Blackbear
Wed Apr 22, 2020 6:29 am

I think everybody has their favorite early early varieties no matter what climate ..
The early early ones till you wait for the mid season favorites …...what are your best early early ?


I always can count on :

1) Latah

2) Yaponskiy Karlik :geek:
So many Tomatoes...……..so little Time !

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Shule
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Re: Best early early varieties for 2020

#2

Post: # 18014Unread post Shule
Wed Apr 22, 2020 8:03 am

How many days to maturity do you mean by early early? Less than 60? Less than 70?

My favorite early true-breeding tomato is Marion (it's earlier for me than it's said to be; it's said to be 75, but it was more like 58 to 62). The taste is competitive with tomatoes of any maturity. It has good-sized fruit and is vigorous and prolific, without a huge plant.

I have a tomato I'm breeding that will hopefully turn out to be early, as the F1 was. The F2 (whose earliness didn't get a proper assessment, due to late planting) had a nice, very tart taste, and a rich color. Large fruit, too. I preferred the taste to Marion's, even.

My earliest tomato is Galapagos Island (it's a round, yellow/gold cherry). It's a great tomato if you just need tomatoes early and all season long on a hardy plant (and are willing to pick lots of them). The taste is decent, but not sweet. Sweet Orange Cherry is a little tastier (IMO), a little sweeter, a little bigger, and a little later, but it's still very early.

Other than that, Husky Cherry Red F1, Bloody Butcher (for steady production and plant size), Early Girl F1 (as a purchased plant), Frosty F. House, Mountain Princess, and Nodak Early are all decent. Matina was a favorite the year it got lots of water. Husky Cherry Red F1 was about 52 days for me when we grew it as a purchased plant (it's supposed to be later than that, but still early).

Sasha's Altai and Alpha Pink are pretty tasty. Tatura can be, too, in cool, dry weather (Tatura wasn't early for me, though).

Carolyn liked Moravsky Div (which I believe is a selection of Stupice).

Some people seem to like Sweet Cherriette. It might rival my Galapagos Island for earliness (but I haven't tried it, and it's determinate).
Location: SW Idaho, USA
Climate: BSk
USDA hardiness zone: 6
Elevation: 2,260 feet

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Growing Coastal
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Re: Best early early varieties for 2020

#3

Post: # 18016Unread post Growing Coastal
Wed Apr 22, 2020 8:28 am

I liked Sasha's Altai, too. I remember it being sweeter than the other earlies I've tried.

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ddsack
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Re: Best early early varieties for 2020

#4

Post: # 18018Unread post ddsack
Wed Apr 22, 2020 8:47 am

For me, early translates into anything that can start bearing in ground by mid July - even one ripe fruit counts! Other than basket types that I can start several weeks earlier than the main run, it's Stupice every year since I first grew it. I also like Early Annie, and Aurora, but don't grow them every year. SunGold F1 also starts close to the same time.

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Re: Best early early varieties for 2020

#5

Post: # 18035Unread post pepperhead212
Wed Apr 22, 2020 11:11 am

My early tomatoes are always cherry, or similar tomatoes, like tiger, which has beat out sunsugar (my usual first ripe tomato) a few times, before 60 days. I always plant a lot of cherries, and other small tomatoes, to get early ones, and since, when I get blossom drop in July (almost every year!), they are usually the last to drop, and are the first to recover.

My earliest eggplants are always Ichiban, which I have gotten before 50 days many times. While not as heat resistant as some, and they stop producing in very hot weather, like many tomatoes, it's worth it to me, to get early eggplants.

And for fresh peppers, the first is always Superchili. Full grown green peppers in late June, and ripe in early July, which is usually under 60 days for the reds.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Blackbear
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Re: Best early early varieties for 2020

#6

Post: # 18059Unread post Blackbear
Wed Apr 22, 2020 1:36 pm

I agree with many of the above varieties mentioned ...It sure is interesting to see which ones endure ..

this year I am growing glacier again as well .
So many Tomatoes...……..so little Time !

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bower
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Re: Best early early varieties for 2020

#7

Post: # 18070Unread post bower
Wed Apr 22, 2020 3:44 pm

Moravsky Div is the one I usually grow as a reference for earliness. Started late last year and didn't have it - you know I actually missed having a plain red tomato in the house! MDiv is with me this year as the house 'clock', and will be able to compare how my early halfbreeds are doing. You can't just select for earliness every year, if you want best tasting you have to go with that, no matter they may be a few days later or not...
AgCan Zone 5a/USDA zone 4
temperate marine climate
yearly precip 61 inches/1550 mm

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PlainJane
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Re: Best early early varieties for 2020

#8

Post: # 18114Unread post PlainJane
Thu Apr 23, 2020 6:32 am

Well, my earliest fruiting and ripening large tomato 2 years in a row was Clear Lake Heirloom, followed closely by GWR Wild Thyme.
“Never try to outstubborn a cat.”
- Robert A. Heinlein

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Re: Best early early varieties for 2020

#9

Post: # 18127Unread post edweather
Thu Apr 23, 2020 8:43 am

Our first Stupice blushed in late March. Started from Seed Jan 1, and put out mid Feb.
Southeast GA, USDA 9a, HZ9, Sunset Z28

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Blackbear
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Re: Best early early varieties for 2020

#10

Post: # 18136Unread post Blackbear
Thu Apr 23, 2020 9:48 am

There was always that PL group :

Stupice
Glacier
Kimberly
Moravsky Div
Matina……..and others that really do well but of course some are earlier than others .
So many Tomatoes...……..so little Time !

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Re: Best early early varieties for 2020

#11

Post: # 18139Unread post Dee
Thu Apr 23, 2020 10:42 am

I really like Early Annie and Scotia (both determinate). The earliest one I have ever grown was Cole (also determinate) - it was ripening by mid-summer in our short growing season. To be honest, I don't remember much about it's taste, but I do remember it was prolific and I'd never encountered a tomato that early! That was years ago. I am growing it again this summer and will be paying more attention to it's characteristics.

This year, I am also growing Bellestar for the first time (determinate, Canadian variety, can be used as a paste). It is supposed to be early, around 65 days.

I have heard that Beaverlodge (determinate) is a good one, but have never grown it.

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Re: Best early early varieties for 2020

#12

Post: # 18141Unread post bower
Thu Apr 23, 2020 11:44 am

I grew Beaverlodge Plum one year (B Slicer is a different variety). It was a cold tolerance trial - basically starting the tomatoes a full month earlier than normal. B Plum set a bunch of nice looking fruit but they were tasteless. So I didn't grow again, but IDK if it would taste different if you were using as an early in a warmer place. Like Kimberley it's precocious flowering and it certainly had no problem setting in the cold.
Scotia I've seen at my friend's farm and it did well in the greenhouse there - outdoor plants set some but they were looking pretty ragged when I saw them. I don't recall tasting it though.
One thing I like about Moravsky Div, they actually seem better flavored in a cold year. The cold gives them darker green shoulders and when it all gets turned to lycopene, big flavor burst. :)
AgCan Zone 5a/USDA zone 4
temperate marine climate
yearly precip 61 inches/1550 mm

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Re: Best early early varieties for 2020

#13

Post: # 18143Unread post Blackbear
Thu Apr 23, 2020 12:55 pm

I have grown beaverlodge slicer they were ok and worth a regrow ..but never got around to them again .

I guess there is a reason Dr. Carolyn liked Moravsky Div. so much . lol
So many Tomatoes...……..so little Time !

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Re: Best early early varieties for 2020

#14

Post: # 18162Unread post ddsack
Thu Apr 23, 2020 3:10 pm

There was always that PL group :

Stupice
Glacier
Kimberly
Moravsky Div
Matina……..and others that really do well but of course some are earlier than others .
I never could find much difference in flavor or appearance in any of them, including Bloody Butcher, though it was taller and more rambling for me, and not as early. Glacier had least appeal, and in my garden, Stupice was always at least a few days earlier than the rest which makes it a must grow here.

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Re: Best early early varieties for 2020

#15

Post: # 18163Unread post bower
Thu Apr 23, 2020 3:14 pm

I have the Stupice genetics in a couple of my lines, which are early and have been pretty delicious as well.
Black Kitten Paws I have some F5 started, but a friend has F6 she is growing out this year too. Stupice X Black Cherry.
I have an F2 cross between BKP and (Eva Purple Ball X PI120256) also growing this season. Big unruly plants but they don't mind conditions hot or cold, at least the F1 was like the Stupice parent so we'll see. Room for a few surprises. Two of the KPEPI Pink are PL's. :) The Red are all RL.
AgCan Zone 5a/USDA zone 4
temperate marine climate
yearly precip 61 inches/1550 mm

FarmerShawn
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Re: Best early early varieties for 2020

#16

Post: # 18174Unread post FarmerShawn
Thu Apr 23, 2020 4:19 pm

Bower wrote: Thu Apr 23, 2020 3:14 pm I have the Stupice genetics in a couple of my lines, which are early and have been pretty delicious as well.
Black Kitten Paws I have some F5 started, but a friend has F6 she is growing out this year too. Stupice X Black Cherry.
I have an F2 cross between BKP and (Eva Purple Ball X PI120256) also growing this season. Big unruly plants but they don't mind conditions hot or cold, at least the F1 was like the Stupice parent so we'll see. Room for a few surprises. Two of the KPEPI Pink are PL's. :) The Red are all RL.
When did you send your Black Kitten Paws to me? Two or three years ago? Maybe I'm growing out F6 also. I LOVE them. But they do tend to split, so they work better in the greenhouse. But the flavor is heavenly. I didn't know until now that the parentage is Stupice and Black Cherry! They have been very consistent each year, as if they are quite stable.

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Re: Best early early varieties for 2020

#17

Post: # 18183Unread post bower
Thu Apr 23, 2020 6:17 pm

Shawn it was two years ago, so if you're growing again you are indeed at F6! :)
The splitting is a curse, so I found it easier to pick them at half blush. So glad you are enjoying them!
AgCan Zone 5a/USDA zone 4
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Re: Best early early varieties for 2020

#18

Post: # 18191Unread post Shule
Thu Apr 23, 2020 11:54 pm

ddsack wrote: Thu Apr 23, 2020 3:10 pm
There was always that PL group :

Stupice
Glacier
Kimberly
Moravsky Div
Matina……..and others that really do well but of course some are earlier than others .
I never could find much difference in flavor or appearance in any of them, including Bloody Butcher, though it was taller and more rambling for me, and not as early. Glacier had least appeal, and in my garden, Stupice was always at least a few days earlier than the rest which makes it a must grow here.
I would include Bloody Butcher in that group, too.

I've grown Matina (thrice), Moravsky Div (once), Glacier (two or three times), and something that was supposed to be Kimberley, but it was RL and cherry-sized.

Matina tasted different every time I grew it (but to be fair, I grew it in three different sets of conditions). It always had at least some tang, though. The third year, it tasted about the same as Moravsky Div (both grown in the same conditions as each other), but it didn't get BER like Moravsky Div did. Bloody Butcher grown in the latter conditions had a much different texture and taste, and the plant wasn't as wide; it also didn't get BER; it was the earliest and set the most fruit that year, of those (in dry conditions, using black plastic, with all three plants caged).

For me, Glacier has a tiny plant very suitable of being called a dwarf (and not a large dwarf). It wasn't early or prolific for me, but I understand it's excellent for the SE USA. The fruits were maybe golfball-sized, or slightly larger. I haven't tried it with black plastic to warm the soil, yet. I might try it again that way some year (it doesn't take a lot of real estate; so, experimenting shouldn't be difficult).

My Kimberly wasn't terribly remarkable, but I saved a lot if seeds from it. It was fairly late, and got a number of fruits (but wasn't prolific for a cherry). I might try the true version next year (I have some seeds for it, too). The plants were small.
Location: SW Idaho, USA
Climate: BSk
USDA hardiness zone: 6
Elevation: 2,260 feet

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Re: Best early early varieties for 2020

#19

Post: # 18192Unread post Shule
Thu Apr 23, 2020 11:59 pm

Oh, speaking of earlies, has anyone tried Stick?

I liked it, except it had kind of a chemical aftertaste (but I may have imagined that). The plant was pretty cool, and was the most interesting tomato plant to the largest wasps I had ever seen in my life. I'll probably grow it again.
Location: SW Idaho, USA
Climate: BSk
USDA hardiness zone: 6
Elevation: 2,260 feet

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Re: Best early early varieties for 2020

#20

Post: # 18196Unread post Blackbear
Fri Apr 24, 2020 1:25 am

stick is great
fuzzy wuzzy is great
betalux is great ..
So many Tomatoes...……..so little Time !

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